E 63f 









E 63J 



REPORT 



Of the Proceedings of a Meeting of the Ladies and Ward Visitors of 
the Special Relief Committee, held at the rooms of the Committee on 
Monday, January \^th, 1864. 



Mrt-. Gillespie, acting as Chainiian of the Spe(-ial Relief Coniniittee of 
the Women's Pennsylvania Branch of the U. S. Sanitary Commission, 
in place of Mrs. Tevis, absent from the City, and Mrs. Wjstcr having 
been requested to act as Secretary, proceedings were opened by a few 
remarks from the Chair, explaining the need of such an organization as 
it was the object of the present meeting to form. 

Mrs. Gillespie stated that the Special Relief Committee had been in 
the beginning entirely dependant for the means of relief, which it dis- 
bursed to thedestitute families of Soldiers, upon the Sanitary Commission. 
of which it is a branch. That, finding the destitution among the widows 
and families of Soldiers much greater than had been anticipated, and the 
lueans furnished by the Commission distressingly inadequate, the six 
ladies composing the S. R. Committee had, by their personal exertions, 
insured to the S. R. a much larger monthly income than had at first 
been hoped for, whereby it was enabled to employ a greater number of 
w6rkwomen than heretofore. Then, with the cold weather, came urgent 
need of coal for these poor people: 11 tons, which had been procured 
and distributed by the Committee being liut a small item in the vast 
demand. 

At this juncture, Mr. Davis Pearson came forward and oft'ered, if the 
Committee would call together a meeting of the charitably disposed from 
all parts of the City for the purpose of forming an organization whereby 
the destitute families of Soldiers should be visited in every Ward of our 
City, to procure for them any amount of coal. The call to this meet- 
ing was largely responded to, but before there had been time to pro- 
vide every Ward with visitors, Mr. Pearson announced that Mr. Geo. H. 
Stuart and the Christian Commission had been beforehand with the 
great coal proprietors, and that he was unable to procure for the S. R. 
the amount of coal he had hoped for. 






t^ireatlv di^i^couraged, the Committee were about to relinquish all hope 
of forming the desired organization, when Mr. Pearson again communi- 
cated with them, stating that he would still do his best for them, and 
placing two hundred Unis of coal at their disposal. This announcement 
was received with delight, and orders for this coal were issued by the mem- 
bers of the S. R. and by several Ward Visitors, and duly honored by Mr. 
Pearson, tlirough whom the coal was distributed. 

But as there were no Ward Visitors for many Wards of the City, as in 
the previous season of discouragement those who had been appointed 
Visitors had conceived themselves released from duty, and as in default 
of an exact register recording the names of those to whom coal had been 
issued, mistakes were inevitable in its distribution, another meeting was 
called. Mr. Pearson was invited to attend, and it was proposed that a 
much more thorough organization than had heretofore been possible 
should be formed, and that the S. R. Committee should keep at its 
room, where all orders for coal should be endorsed before issued, a 
register recording alphabetically the names of all who had received 
coal. This ]>roposition did not meet Mr. Pearson's approval, and after 
handing over to the S. R. the amount of coal remaining in his hands, 
(47 tons,) he has sent in his resignation, subject to the action of the 
present meeting, " which has been called for the purpose of deciding 
whether under present discouragement it is worth while to continue in 
our efforts at organization." 

Mrs. Gillespie concluded by jmtting the foregoing question to tlie vote, 
which was unanimously decided in the attirmative. and the ladies present 
thereby agreed to aid in the formation of a thorough organization, express- 
ing their confident hope that coal would not be found wanting; and 
Mrs. Gillespie announced that the Reading Railroad liad offered free 
transportation for all coal given for charitable purposes. 

A number of applications for coal from the poor of various Wards of 
the City were now referred to their respective Lady Visitors, appointed 
as follows : 

1st Ward. Mrs. Edmund A. Soudcr, 238 Pine street. 

2d " Miss 0. Neill, 1408 West Penn Square. 

3d " Miss Ives, 228 Lombard street. 

4th " 

5th '• Miss Rowley, 2G(> South Fourth street. 

(Jth ■• Mrs. E. W. tlutter, 307 New street. 

7th " Mrs. Benton, l')22 Pine street. 

8th " Mrs. Frederick, 1033 Chestnut street. 



\hh Ward. 
10th " 
lltli 
I2th 
13th 
Uth 
15th 
16th 
17th 
18th 
19th 
20th 
21st 
22(1 
23(1 
24th 



Miss Stokely, 19 North Eighth street. 

Mrs. Isaac Collins, 1431 Filbert street. 

Mrs. Jas. Evans, 829 North Eighth street. 

Mrs. Galvin, 818 Marshall street. 

Mrs. Taylor, (US North Tenth street. 

Mrs. Edward Patterson, 1315 Spring Garden street. 

Mrs. James A. Burke, 1701 Green street. 

Mrs. Robert Evans. 

Miss Kimball, Franktbrd Rd., •"> doors bel. Cumberhmd. 

Mrs. Bulkley, Richmond below Leliigh avenue. 

Mrs. Hatch, Tliirty-seeond and Hamilton st., (Mantua.) 



Mis. Bulkley, Richmond near Lehigh avenue. 

Mrs. Correv. Tiiirtv-second street, 4 doors above Barins, 



The rules for the government of this organization shall be as follow,-- : 

First. — Applications for coal without the endorsement of a Lady 
Visitor will be received at the room of the S. R., 1338 Chestnut 
street, only on Mondays and Wednesdays of each week, from the hours 
of 1 to 3 P. M.. the applicant referred by the member or aid of the S. R. 
in charge, to the Lady Visitor of the Ward wherein the applicant resides. 

Second. — No order for coal shall be issued at the room of the S. R. 
Committee (whence alone orders can be issued) except on the written 
request of a Lady Visitor of the Ward wherein the applicant resides. 

Third. — It shall be the duty of one or more members of the S. R. Com- 
mittee to be in constant attendance at the room of the Committee. 1338 
Chestnut, from 3 to o P. M. every day, (Sundays excepted.) 

Fourth. — Requests for coal from any Lady Visitor, received during the 
aforesaid hours, shall be duly acknowledged by the member of the S. R. 
in attendance, by an order for coal. 

Fijth. — It shall be the duty of the member of the Special Relief in 
charge at the room of the Committee, to record all applications for coal 
made through a Lady Visitor, with the date of each application, in the 
register provided for the purpose. 

Sixth. — It shall be the duty of eacpr Lady Visitor to keep an exact 
record of the requests for coal issueil by her, with the date thereof. 



Seventh. — Meetings of the members and Lady Visitors of the S. Relief 
will be held on the third Friday in every month, at 12 M., at the room 
of the Committee, 1338 Chestnut street, at which punctual and constant 
attendance is earnestly enjoined witkout further notice^ and at which the 
general register will be compared with the records of the Lady Visitors, 
iind all miscellaneous business transacted. 

Eighth. — No coal issued in larger amounts than by the half ton at a 
time. 

Ninth. — 'I'lu! foregoing rules may be amended at any of the monthly 
meetings, notice of the pro|)Osed amendment having been given at a pre- 
vious meeting, the assent of two-thirds of the members of the organiza- 
tion being required for the adoption of said amendment. 

Mr. Pearson's resignation having been presented, was accepted, and a 
note sent him signe<l by the members of the S. R., thanking him for past 
services. 

A note signed by the meiubers and Lady Visitors of the 8. R. was sent 
to the Hon. John Tucker, informing him of the present organization, and 
earnestly entreating his efficient co-oporaiion in procuring coal for distri- 
bntion by this Committee. 

A. L. WISTER, 

Secretary, pro tern. 




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HoUinger 
pH 8.5 
Mill Run F03.21S 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
II III 



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HoUinger 

pH 8J 

Mill Run F03.2193 



